Jacobson, Klubeck, Korman named partners at agency

United Talent Agency has promoted agents Lisa Jacobson, Rich Klubeck and Marc Korman to partner status, a move that swells the agency’s partnership ranks to 19.

Jacobson heads the agency’s Branding & Licensing division; Klubeck is the co-head of UTA’s Independent Film Group; and Korman is in the TV department.

Recent initiatives from the Branding & Licensing division, which Jacobson has spent the past decade helping to build, include L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers, apparel lines launched by Gwen Stefani; and the launch of Christy Turlington’s Nuala and Maha Nuala lifestyle brands. Jacobson also oversees the agency’s commercials and endorsements operations. She’s been at UTA since 1994.

The Independent Film Group has grown in importance as agencies become more involved in financing films and developing distribution strategies for them. Klubeck was formerly CEO of Jersey Films and exec veep at Icon. Among projects he helped mobilize are the Mike White-directed “Year of the Dog,” the Wes Anderson-helmed “The Darjeeling Ltd.,” the Coen brothers’ “Burn After Reading,” Alan Ball’s untitled next project and the Charlie Kaufman-directed “Synecdoche NY,” as well as “Hustle & Flow” and “The Science of Sleep.”

Korman has been a part of the UTA TV department since 2002, representing showrunners, directors and Gotham-based playwrights. He’s a former criminal defense lawyer out of Chicago who joined UTA from Artists Management Group, where he was a manager.

The agency had watched several partners exit over the past 18 months, with Dan Aloni, Martin Lesak and Jason Heyman moving to CAA, and Marty Bowen leaving to become a producer.

“Lisa, Rich and Marc have made extraordinary contributions to UTA in their respective practice areas and to the agency overall,” the partners said in a statement. “The promotions reflect not only the excellence of their work, but also their vital role in the ongoing growth and future success of the agency.”